Shelter From the Storm
by Sei Bellissima
Summary: Bad things happen to us all. Meta Knight believes everything, even these bad things, happens for a reason. But when Kirby is kidnapped for the purpose of avenging an old foe, Meta Knight starts to doubt his belief. He realizes, Kirby is more than an ally to him. A storm is rolling into Dreamland. If this is the calm before it, then what will happen… it's dreadful to think about.
1. Calm

**Calm**

Dark, gray clouds loomed off of the white sandy shores of Dream Land, slowly, but surely bringing its destruction along with it.

* * *

" _This is going to be the worst storm we've ever had in ages. I urge you to find shelter as soon as possible. This is not a dri—_ "

The television screen turned off suddenly, leaving the only noise in the room to be Dedede's obnoxious laughter. "Those weather people are cuckoo. Did they even look out the window? It's sunnier than a sunflower out there!"

A snail slithered over to his side, looking especially worried. "Not necessarily, sire; hurricanes roll in rather quickly— _ouch!_ "

His concerns were dismissed with a painful mallet to the face. Dedede growled at his servant, "That's nonsense, Escargon. Haven't you heard the sayin', 'as long as it's sunny, the world is all bright and funny'?"

"B—but that's not how it wor— _ah!_ "

Escargon received another whack on the head, leaving him crumpled up in a pitiful heap on the floor, crushed underneath the weight of Dedede's mighty hammer.

Said penguin king returned to his spot on the throne, and impatiently slammed the buttons on the armrest. The monitor turned on again, but this time, it showed something different.

"Hey, Triple-D, how can I help you toda—"

"Quit your jabberin' and give me a monster to defeat Kirby right now!" demanded King Dedede.

The man on the screen only smirked at Dedede, making his blood boil with even more anger. "Sorry, D, but I can't offer you anything until you pay your bills..."

King Dedede punched the armrest, fuming. "I shouldn't have to pay for it!That annoying pink pest and that traitor Meta Knight beat the last one up like it was nothing! Do you _want_ to lose a loyal customer?!"

The Customer Service representative dropped his smile after hearing that and resorted to desperation. "Uh—ah, that one was only made to handle one opponent at a time, so it can use its power to its greatest extent! But, if you want, I can offer you something that—"

" _I don't care!_ " Dedede snapped, red and livid. "How many times to I have to say it?! I've had enough of Kirby! Send me your strongest Demon Beast _now_!"

"Did you say Kirby?"

The voice was deep, calm, and rough. A dark, thick-set figure pushed aside the man on the screen, make the Customer Service Rep scream. His sudden appearance drained the color from Dedede's face and sent Escargon cowering behind King Dedede's back. "You are familiar with Kirby, I presume?" it asked.

King Dedede frowned again, feeling frustration coming back to him at the mention of his rival. "Are ya kiddin' me?! That little pain in the neck has been pestering me and my servants for months! Eating my food and drawing on the walls… I can't take it anymore! He's disruptive!"

The silhouette on the screen seemed interested. "I see… You wouldn't happen to also know a Meta Knight, would you?"

"Don't even get me started on that traitor! He's sworn to protect me, but he always ends up helping Kirby instead!"

The shadow growled, and their eyes actually glowed—a dark, eerie red. "Those two… they have brought shame to my finest student!" They slammed their fist down on something, and, judging by the loud snap and horrified scream that followed, Dedede and Escargon could tell that they broke something important.

The Customer Service Man squeezed into the side of the monitor, pointing to the mysterious figure. "This is Kurai Eikyo, and he is the leader of our ninja division—"

"No time for pleasantries." Kurai shoved the man away again, rougher this time, earning a pained wail from him. Kurai didn't seem to care in the slightest as he pressed a few buttons on the console below him. "Tell me, penguin. Do you happen to know if the two Star Warriors are… close in any way?"

King Dedede was so furious at this point that he lunged out of his throne, shaking a fist at the monitor. " _My name's King Deded—_ "

" _Answer the question, dolt!_ "

Normally Dedede would berate him for insulting him with such name-calling, but he yelled it out in a way that made King Dedede's anger seem like nothing. It scared him out of his wits and he practically had to tear the answer from his throat. "I-I don't know… but I do see them hang out every once in a while, I guess?"

That was all the silhouette on the screen needed to hear, and he bellowed out a mischievous laugh that could rival that of the Customer Sevice Man's. He smashed another button on the control board and said, "We will start with the young one. We will make sure his death is well drawn-out, and _exceptionally_ painful. Then we will make Meta Knight watch, helplessly, unable to do anything about it, before he faces the same fate!"

His laughter had reached a point of haunting, sickening even, sending chills throughout Dedede and Escargon.

"You sure you want to hire this man, your Majesty?"

Even Dedede looked like he was having second doubts about this, but the second his servant asked, he shook his head and denied it simply at the notion that he would be interpreted as a coward. "Of course I'm sure. As long as he can get rid of Kirby I'll be happy."

That's it. There was no turning back. Dedede was willing to pay whatever it took, so long as that pink pest was out of his hair for good.

The man walked onto a warp pad in the background, which sparked to life upon sensing his movements. King Dedede's throne room transformed to accommodate its own. Lightning shot out of the mechanism attached to the ceiling, buzzing and sparkling in its familiar dazzling light show as the download completed. Before long the man was standing there on the platform, appearing just as menacing as he did on the monitor. Kurai's face contorted into a sick, twisted grin as he stepped off the platform.

But the chilling effects of his sadist expression was nothing compared to that of the long, rattling hiss of the massive python that followed.

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be alright going home by yourself, Kirby?"

The puffball in question perked up at the sound of his name. He turned to see Fumu, who was looking at him worriedly. "I can take you, if you'd like. But if not, I guess it's okay. I just want you to stay safe…"

Kirby didn't say anything in response; instead, he gave Fumu a reassuring smile. It was the most he could do to assure her that everything would be alright. He had wanted to show her how much of a brave and responsible Star Warrior he was becoming for a long time, and he believed that getting home by himself could prove it. But Fumu, being the worrywart she was, couldn't help but feel conflicted about the idea.

"Well, okay. Promise me you'll stay safe, okay? Because I've heard that there's going to be a really bad storm later…" she said as she patted Kirby's head.

"C'mon, sis, Mom and Dad's gonna start freaking out if we don't get home soon," Bun said anxiously. "Plus, I think Kirby will be fine. He may just be a baby, but he's still a Star Warrior!"

Fumu sighed and looked at Kirby. "Ugh, I know… but I can't help but feel worried about him whenever he's alone. What if he gets lost on the way home? Whispy Woods can be confusing, especially when it starts to get dark."

"Kirby comes here all the time with Meta Knight. I think he knows this place better than us!" Bun pointed out.

"I know," Fumu started, pausing to pick up Kirby and gently hug the little puffball. "Please, _please_ stay safe, Kirby. Because if you get caught in that storm later, I'll never be able to forgive myself…"

Kirby quietly cooed and wrapped his stubby arms around Fumu as much as he could to return the embrace. The two hugged in blissful silence for a minute before Bun spoke up and interrupted them. "Fumu, we should _really_ go. Like, right now. I can already see some clouds rolling in," he said, calling his sister by her real name. Fumu knew well that her little brother rarely called her by her real name, only using it when he was dead serious. This time was no exception.

"Okay, I'm coming," she finally gave in, letting go of Kirby and walking over to her brother. "Bye Kirby, s—see you tomorrow," she said, the hesitance clear in her voice.

Kirby quietly watched his two best friends walk through the trees and into the slowly developing darkness; not taking his eyes off of their figures until they were only tiny colorful specks. With a determined sigh, he turned around and started walking down the path that would lead him home.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sorry.**

 **I am _so, so_ sorry for leaving this idea up on my profile for more than a year, and not even bothering to finish it until now. I'm sorry for getting the hopes up of people who wanted me to post it for so long. Real life has been tough. That's all I can say.**

 **But yes, have some new, overdue Kirby content from me; I know, it's another anime story, but this thing has been cooking on the backburner for too long, may as well post it while I figure out the ending. \o/**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **AO3 link: archiveofourown .org** **/works/15200591/chapters/35254328**

 **k-sei-bellissima . tumblr .com**

 **(Remove spaces)**


	2. Wind

**A/N:** **The first chapter felt a little bare-boned to me, so have an update earlier than planned. Don't expect the next update to come this quickly, though.**

 **Wind**

Trees and the forest trail beneath his feet. Endless green and brown. Sometimes a blur of orange or gray: a sign of a forest animal scurrying to shelter from the incoming squall. But other than that, leaves and tree trunks as far as the eye could see… _wait, there's some red!_

Intrigued by the change of color, Kirby walked off of the path and up to the tree that wore the distinct red. He was excited to find out that the tree bore bright, juicy apples in its branches. But his excitement faded when a worrying thought popped into his head. Fumu said that there was going to be a really bad storm soon, so he should probably get back home as fast as possible instead of stopping to eat.

But… maybe a quick snack wouldn't hurt. If he just grabbed one, he'd still have enough time to make it home before the rain started.

The puffball slowly inhaled air and rose above the ground, flapping his stubby arms to gain altitude. He kept rising until he reached the lowest branch with an apple on it. He exhaled and landed on it, then scooted closer to the apple. He plucked it off the stem, then wiped its skin with his paw until it shone. It was a luscious bright red that made Kirby's mouth water… No! He could wait. It was for the road home… Just a taste. To make sure it was a tasty apple. He would be pretty disappointed to find out that it was rotten later.

He took a tiny nibble… it was just soft enough, juicy, and immeasurably sweet. His stomach grumbled at the sampling… It wanted more. It wasn't enough. _He needed more!_

He took another bite, a large one this time, and savored every bit of it. Sooo good! Kirby couldn't help himself. One bite turned to two, which turned to three…

A barren apple core fell to the dirt road below, and the tree branches above creaked under Kirby's weight, as he stood on his toes to reach for another apple.

Soon another apple core joined the one below. Then another, and another…

Kirby had now completely forgotten about his worries, Fumu's worries, and pretty much everything about the storm, as he became focused on filling the never-ending pit that was his belly.

He didn't even notice that the wind had picked up.

* * *

"Alright, we got a first-aid kit, a flashlight, batteries, some food and water… Are we missing anything?"

"The generator..."

"You already know we can't bring _that_ thing in here! Dedede thinks it's a bomb!"

"Blade," Meta Knight interjected, "no need to bring anymore drama in here. You know what happens when King Dedede is… livid."

Meta Knight didn't need to hear his squire speak to know that Blade was embarrassed… The way he slouched over was enough, despite his full suit of armor. Any other day, Meta Knight would patiently put up with his squires' bickering, but today as a whole was stressful enough. The news of a hurricane rolling into Dreamland had set everybody on edge; and according to the local news sources, this wouldn't be any normal thunderstorm… _this_ storm was apparently deadly. Wind speeds were supposedly strong enough to knock trees over and rip houses from their foundations. In the time he had spent here in Dreamland, Meta Knight couldn't recall experiencing a storm that dangerous.

It wasn't himself that Meta Knight was worried about… Despite Dedede's incompetence, the penguin had the wit to carefully plan out the design of his castle, to make sure it would survive any windstorm. What Meta Knight truly worried about were the Cappies in the village below. Their houses and buildings weren't as strong; he's seen proof of that more than several times before. Usually it was because of a Demon Beast or Kirby – which always ended up with the grumpy Cappies having to repair the damage – but still, when a Demon Beast attacked, the Cappies were normally able to find shelter somewhere else. In a _thunderstorm,_ however… Home was their only shelter.

Meta Knight sighed; he felt that, somehow, he was to blame for this. He was a Star Warrior, and a sworn knight of honor: it's his duty to protect the people. If this storm was caused by the Demon Beast Kracko, he could easily prevent this. But, to form a storm this big, there would have to be multiple Krackos working together. It was highly unlikely that that would be the case, because Krackos were rare to come across these days.

Mother Nature couldn't be stopped; this Meta Knight knew. Then why did he feel so… guilty? So worried? So angry with himself?!

He slammed his gloved mitt down on the table, making his cup of coffee tip over and spill – away from himself, thankfully. But he could sense his squires staring at him.

Sword and Blade had never really seen Meta Knight angry, but when they have… It was scary. They had never witnessed their lord acting so violent. They knew better than to inquire about it at the moment, as it would always make things worse. Meta Knight tended to deny that anger if provoked.

They weren't surprised when he got up from the table, leaving his spill unattended, and left the room. They didn't follow him knowing that he could sort out his emotions on his own. But… They still worried about their mentor. Meta Knight was the one who had saved them all those years ago, and taught them the art of the sword and chivalry. Ironically enough, Meta Knight also told them that it was bad to become to attached to someone, because losing them would be even harder, and would damage their judgment in battle...

It, admittedly, was something they _couldn't_ do. Sword and Blade have been under Meta Knight's service for so long, they couldn't simply stop caring about him. Whether he liked it or not, Meta Knight was a big part of their lives, and they weren't afraid to express that.

Drawing in a shaky breath, Sword said to his brother, "We've got to be strong for Sir Meta Knight, Blade."

"Agreed, brother," Blade said, as he wiped up the coffee spill on the table. "We don't know what he's going through, but we gotta be there for him no matter what."

* * *

A low rumble in the distance scared Kirby out of his sleep, and it took everything within him not to fall out of his perch in the treetops. When did he fall asleep? That wasn't supposed to happen…

He got up and turned into a position that would easily allow him to look down at the ground… And was met with quite a sight. There was a great big pile of apple cores on the ground, nearly all of them stripped bare of their delicious juicy flesh. He was so hungry he lost track of how many apples he was eating. How embarrassing! He wanted to prove how great of a Star Warrior he had become, but his hunger had gotten the best of him once again…

A sudden wind swept through the forest, so strong and fast Kirby couldn't hold on. He fell to the ground along with many handfuls of leaves. Above him, a small tree branch snapped and fell too. The rain didn't even start and the storm had already begun its destruction.

He needed to get home, _now_.

Kirby started running. As long as he kept this pace, he could get home before the worst of it came. No more distractions!

Unbeknownst to him a pair of red eyes were watching him from the shadows, weaving through the trees, stalking him silently.

* * *

Fumu didn't seem to notice the frantic waddle dees skittering to and fro around her. She kept her eyes trained to the floor, her feet coming in and out of sight at the bottom of her peripheral vision. She was practically moving on autopilot and it was a miracle that she somehow hadn't collided with a waddle dee yet.

And Fumu was starting to regret her earlier actions. Kirby was so brave, ready to face this storm like a soldier. But she could think of at least twenty things that could happen to him; none of them good. He could get lost, a Demon Beast could attack him, he could get blown away by the wind…

 _What if this storm is worse than we initially thought?_

Now _that_ was a scary thought. The wind and rain were already battering the windows like hail at this point. Any more destructive and the windows might shatter… With that capacity of power, Kirby's tiny house wouldn't stand a chance. It could even be ripped from its foundation, _that's_ how tiny it was.

Lightning flashed outside. The walls did little to insulate the following _boom_.

Fumu gasped and stopped walking. _No. I shouldn't have left him alone. It's too dangerous!_

And now there was nothing she could do about it. There was no way her parents would allow her to go outside now. It Kirby got harmed in any way, Fumu didn't know if she could find it within her to forgive herself. Kirby had been in Dream Land for only a few months, but already she just _loved_ him. Heck, everybody did. Maybe it was his outgoing, innocent demeanor or his willingness to be a helping hand to everyone. He had all the qualities of a hero, too. Yet…

He was a _child_. So far he has shown to be a very courageous one at that, never failing to stand up to any Demon Beast that stood in his way. But if something managed to hurt or scare him enough for that courage to _break…_

There was no guaranteeing that he would ever be the same again. That cheerful little puffball that everyone knew and loved… would be gone, just like that.

She didn't know when she started crying. All she knew was that at some point she had made it back to her room at the castle and was being surrounded by her family, asking her what was wrong.

"Mom, Dad..." she wailed as she threw herself into their loving arms.

* * *

The stroll Meta Knight had decided to take was doing little to quell the raging storm of emotion inside himself. He had probably made at least three round trips through the halls as the weather slowly deteriorated. He couldn't describe how he was feeling—restless, maybe? That sixth sense of his was acting up again, giving him the dreaded feeling that something was terribly, terribly wrong. He just didn't know _what_ , and that bothered him the most.

He flinched as lighting boomed outside. So this was it… The storm had reached its peak. Could it possibly get any worse than this?

Just minutes later he discovered that yes; it could. But not quite in the way he thought it would.

With the howling winds outside it was near impossible to pick up any smaller noises, but Meta Knight was trained the pick up any suspicious sound, however soft it may be, in the worst of conditions. However this noise was unexpected… it was someone _crying_.

He traced the sound to the door nearby. The door to the Ebrum's room. He approached, and the crying voice became more distinct: that was _Fumu_ who was crying. Instantly his mind was flooded with questions; what could possibly happen that would make _her_ cry? Fumu was a girl who was quite mature for her age, and arguably one of the most level-headed people in town. She was also very optimistic and outgoing, being able to find the good in any situation.

He tiptoed to the door, wrapping his cape tighter around himself to muffle the noise of his armor clicking, so as to not draw attention to himself. Meta Knight hated to eavesdrop on people, much less their _personal situations_ , but if something terrible happened, especially now, he needed to know.

"Fumu, sweetie, please just calm down and tell us what's wrong..." Her father.

"I—I," she blubbered, "I let Kirby go home by himself, and now I'm afraid he could get hurt..."

A pause. Meta Knight could easily sense her parent's hesitancy, their insecurity of how to respond to this situation. In their shoes, he would chastise her without question, scolding her for her lack of care for Kirby's safety… No, of _course_ she cared! Why else would she be crying right now?

He shook his head in frustration. He thought he could trust Fumu with things like this—Kirby was just a child; there was no way he should be alone right now. He needed to be somewhere where he would be safe from the storm, close to a responsible, caring person who would provide comfort if the need arose. His little house provided neither of those.

Sighing, he looking out the window. It was pouring, the wind rattling the tree branches and causing them to bang against the window like a burglar trying to get in. Rain flowed nonstop down the glass in a thin sheet of water, almost as if it was a miniature waterfall. To think that Kirby could be out in _this weather_ —

There was a loud crack, and it wasn't thunder. It scraunched, splintered, and Meta Knight's eyes flew back to the window as he witnessed a tree fall over _from the strength of the wind alone_. The massive plant crashed into the overflowing moat, splashing mud and remains of plants all over the glass.

Before he even realized what he was doing Meta Knight managed to tear his cape off and reveal his never-before seen wings, flapping them with an unfamiliar surge of emotion that he hadn't felt in years.

Fear.


	3. Rain

**A/N: I'm not dead! I just got absorbed into the world of indie games for a few months (And I still kinda am, lol). I want to say thank you to those who have left reviews on the fic, your words give me life! :)**

 **On the story itself: things have turned out a bit more graphic than originally planned, so I bumped up the rating from K plus to T. Things get quite bloody, so if you're squeamish, read at your own risk.**

* * *

 **Rain**

Not even the trees with their full heads of leaves could stop the rain from beating down on Kirby. His red feet and lower half of his body were absolutely filthy from stomping through puddles of mud, but that didn't matter right now. It was cold, too cold, and he oh so desperately wanted to get home so he could warm himself up to a more comfortable temperature. Even cuddling with his annoying roommate Tokkori sounded better than staying outside and freezing…

Something massive slammed in front of Kirby, but his speed and the slippery mud beneath his soles all but prevented him from being able to stop and he rammed into the giant thing, bouncing off of it like a beach ball. He rubbed his little bottom tenderly, having fallen onto it, a moan coming from his throat.

Then Kirby heard something that made his blood run cold.

A shaking, a rattling, backed-up by a guttural _hiss_. In front of him, Kirby noticed that the thing was moving in a slow, almost entrancing pace. His heart leaped into his throat, as he stood up and backed away from it—and into something else that brushed against his back and sent chills through his small body. It did not feel pleasant, as if someone had taken sandpaper and brushed it against his back.

Kirby turned around to look at his offender—a long, scabrous _something_ colored with crimsons and dark oranges. He tried turning around and running away again—it was on both sides, blocking him in; he was trapped between the scaly thing and the trees.

Rattling again, the thing reared what appeared to be its hideous head, an oblong oval with a slender, forking line flicking out the tip of its shapely snout. In the darkness Kirby couldn't make out the silhouette's profound features, and that made it all the more terrifying—the first bolt of lightning struck the sky behind the beast, its form stark and atrocious in the temporary light. The monster approached as another bolt flashed behind the two, finally bringing the creature's details into light.

Two bulging green eyes that blazed like an angry sun, forked tongue flicking like a whip, and gigantic maws opened wide to reveal a set of huge, curled fangs, dripping with venom, ready to strike—this wasn't any normal snake. This was a Demon Beast.

And yet something—the beast's menacing appearance, the bone-chilling hissing, the flashing lighting glossing it with a blinding white hue, or perhaps a combination of the three, glued Kirby to the ground, filling him with an inexplicable fright that no Demon Beast had ever done before, and for the first time in his life Kirby felt truly _terrified_.

The serpent charged, and Kirby curled into himself with his paws over his eyes, waiting for the end.

" _Hyaaaah_!" came the battle cry, followed by a sickening _shing_ that rattled Kirby to his core.

The sound was followed by the ophidian shrieking in pain, its heavy head falling to the ground with a thud. A pleasantly hot arm wrapped around Kirby's back, the gloved mitt at the end gripping tightly under his stubby hand. He heard what sounded akin to a flag flapping in the breeze, and suddenly the wind was blowing ten times stronger against his face.

But as quickly as it started, everything stopped. No more wind, no more rain, just whatever rainfall that had clung to Kirby slicking down his shivering body, and the one who had saved him enveloping him in a comforting warmth. He opened his eyes to see a familiar visage, softly glowing eyes peeking from underneath.

"Kirby, I did not wish that it would come to this, but we do not have a choice," whispered the voice of Meta Knight. He quickly glanced out the end of the large log he had smuggled Kirby into, to make sure that the beast had not followed them in. Thankfully the snake still hadn't recovered from his surprise attack and was still writhing on the ground like a worm on concrete.

"I need you to run; run as fast as you can, to Castle Dedede. Do not stop for anything or for anyone, no matter the circumstances. You will be safe in the castle… do you understand?"

Immediately, Kirby shook his head, tears brewing in his eyes. He didn't want to leave his friend and mentor alone to fight this… this monster.

"I'll be okay Kirby," Meta Knight confirmed, as if he could read the little one's mind. "I've fought many more battles than you, I assure you that I can handle this myself." He gave Kirby a firm pat on the head before backing away from him… but something was off.

 _Are those wings on Meta Knight's back?!_

"Run now, Kirby, to the castle! Go!" And with that, Meta Knight flapped his wings with a mighty _swoosh_ , his sword raised upwards as he smashed through the brittle surface of the log. He hovered in midair for a brief second, sword glowing hopefully amidst the gray darkness.

The warmth was still there, and it was then that Kirby discovered that Meta Knight had left him his cape.

* * *

At some point, he had started running, disinclined to see how things would play out in the clash of knight versus beast. He wasn't really paying attention to where he was going either, blinded by the tears in his eyes and the pain that had accumulated in his muscles from the constant sprinting.

Kirby held his mentor's beloved cape close, wrapping himself with it in the same manner he had seen Meta Knight do countless times. It wasn't hard to see why the knight did it so often; the cloth was very adept at keeping his face warm. Kirby was also quick to discover it carried his mentor's scent like a strong perfume.

It smelled of dirt and steel, perhaps a hint of blood. It was all Kirby was using to hold himself together, to remind himself that his mentor was strong and that he would come out okay.

If the cape could talk, it could tell enough stories to back that idea up.

* * *

This serpent was among the most resilient things Meta Knight had ever fought.

The beast was quick, lashing out at him like the cornered animal it was, but Meta Knight was quicker, precisely timing his wing strokes to avoid its poisonous bite. Every now and then the viper would grow tired and pause shortly in its attacks, leaving Meta Knight a chance to divebomb it and land a solid blow in the creature's back.

Oozing lacerations covered the snake's body like the stripes of a zebra, but somehow the blasted thing still had energy to keep springing at the airborne warrior. Meta Knight knew that he wouldn't last much longer keeping up this routine, and so he allowed the whipping winds to lift him higher into the air, buying him some time to figure out a different course of action.

Seeing this, the ophidian also stopped its onslaught and fled in the direction Kirby had left.

Meta Knight swore under his breath and pulled his wings in, making his form slim so he could glide along with the winds blowing northward towards Castle Dedede. He underestimated the intelligence of the serpent; he didn't think it was any more than a mindless automaton that was set on killing everything around it. The fact that it knew who to go for proved him wrong.

The beast traversed the land swiftly, the blood leaking from its wounds dripping into the dirt beneath but quickly washed away by the rain. Meta Knight did little more than a flap of his wings every other minute, as the winds were on his side and did most of the work for him.

The tension filled minutes felt like hours to Meta Knight, but he finally reached the snake and dived, plunging his sword into its rattling tail. It let out a shrill hiss and immediately recoiled, reaching to bite the annoyance at its opposite end.

Meta Knight had just enough time to pierce the roof of its mouth and dig his armored toes into the bottom, the flesh making a squelching noise as he forced the ophidian to keep it jaws from closing.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kirby witnessing the brawl, fighting against the whirlwinds to keep his feet on the ground. Met Knight knew that if he was a moment late in stopping the serpent's pursuit, Kirby would have been fatally wounded.

"Kirby—!" he yelled, voice strained, "Keep going, don't worry yourself about me!"

He couldn't make out what Kirby had said over the howling winds, but the poor boy sounded terribly upset. He didn't appear willing to leave, obstinately gluing himself to where he stood.

At this point Meta Knight knew he couldn't convince Kirby to get to safety; no doubt the sight of him in danger set off the child's Star Warrior instincts, to the point where he refused to leave without helping out in some way. Besides that, Kirby was exceedingly stubborn, to the point that if he had his heart set on something, he would not stop until he had achieved it.

Meta Knight couldn't blame him; if someone he dearly loved was in great trouble, he would not leave until they were safe and secure.

If Kirby was going to stay and help, then darn it if Meta Knight wasn't going to make sure the kid had the proper Copy Ability to do so.

With fluid movements Meta Knight tore his sword out of the snake's fleshy mouth, stuck his hand in the fresh wound, then used his bloodied weapon to knock one of the beast's fangs out. It reeled in pain with a shriek, its wild movements causing Meta Knight to lose his grip and go sailing through the air.

Kirby got the message and sucked in the tooth before it hit the ground. His head glowed a blinding white as his transformation proceeded, a colorful crown adorned with a skull settling on his head, a cocktail of bubbling indigo liquid sprouting from the top.

Poison. With a large enough dose, it could boil the creature from the inside out, but that same amount would liquidize his mentor instantly. Kirby knew he now possessed a dangerous ability and had to be acutely aware of where he aimed his attacks, lest he scalded Meta Knight.

Kirby puffed himself up, feeling the deadly liquids bubbling inside of him, and retched a large glob of poison onto the a particularly maimed portion of the snake's body, the acid sizzling as it bore through the flesh.

The serpent was practically tangling itself as it tried to withstand the pain, making the ground around it rumble as its large body twitched and thrashed around. It didn't do this for too long however and turned to Kirby, a lust for revenge in its eyes.

It hissed and launched itself at Kirby, who rolled out of the way just in time. The slippery mud made it quite hard for him to stop, though, and he ended up farther away from the beast than he'd like. The ophidian made to pursue him but failed to notice the puddle of toxins Kirby had left in his wake, its snout getting soaked by the bluish goop.

Meta Knight came in from behind and sliced into the snake's head, finally breaking the snake's threshold for pain. It couldn't help but fall to the ground with a screech as loud as the thunder echoing around them.

" _Now, Kirby!_ "

Kirby took in a huge breath, lips puckered, moving his body from side to side as he let the foggy poisons out. Carried by the wind, the fogs tore into the ophidian's gashes, steam unfurling from them and blowing away in the breeze.

The serpent let out a final cry before succumbing to the toxins, taking in its final breath and falling to the ground like a wet noodle.

It was when the snake disappeared in a large, forceful explosion as Demon Beasts tend to do that Kirby realized his mistake.

Meta Knight lay shaking on his side, panting in shallow breaths as he gripped the wet grass with an iron grip.

Alarmed, Kirby dismissed his Copy Ability and ran to his mentor, struggling to help him into a sitting position. Meta Knight coughed harshly, blood dripping from the rim of his mask.

"Meta..." Kirby sobbed, burying his face into Meta Knight's side, trying his hardest to apologize with what little capability he possessed in the speech department. They had come out of the battle relatively unscathed, but Meta Knight had been poisoned… and it was all Kirby's fault.

"Kirby, Kirby it's—" Meta Knight quickly lifted his masked and whipped to the side, coughing out fresh crimson blood from his stinging lungs. The poor child whimpered at the sight and huddled closer to him, trying his hardest to cover his eyes from the unsightly scene.

After his coughing fit passed, Meta Knight's chest heaved as he fought to take in air. "Shhh, little one, it's alright..." he assured in a hoarse voice. He hugged little Kirby close, rubbing his back in a comforting manner. "I know, you didn't mean to. I have an antidote for this condition back at the castle, but we have to hurry. I don't know how much I inhaled."

Kirby lifted his head from Meta Knight's chest at this, looking at him as if he was seeking some form of confirmation. "I'll be okay."

He grunted as he stood up, Kirby fidgeting nervously beside him. Meta Knight knew that Kirby would stay by his side to aid him in just about anything, and that thought alone warmed his heart to an immeasurable degree.

Suddenly, the rain stopped, and the whirlwinds slowed to a tame breeze. They looked above them.

The thick clouds swirled in a perfect circle above their heads, the friendly blue sky of a bright summer day greeting them. To think that just seconds ago, the rain was beating down on them like no tomorrow.

"The eye of the storm, Kirby. This is a good chance to get a head start. C'mere," he said, holding his arms out. The child climbed into them cautiously. In his position he lacked anything to hold on to, but he trusted his mentor would not let him go.

With Kirby secure in his arms, Meta Knight unfurled his wings, coughed one more time, then pumped his muscles mightily, soaring into the air.

Just as quickly as he was airborne, he was struck down, a burning hot pain in his side making itself known. He screamed in agony but fought the urge to cover his injured side in favor of not dropping Kirby at this height. He took the brute of the fall, his back getting bruised and scraped as he skidded across the mud.

He rolled over, settling Kirby under one arm, using his free hand to pull out a shuriken from his side. His eyes widened as he recognized the symbol emblazoned on the tiny weapon.

Suddenly Kirby was forcefully swiped from his arms, the kid crying out in shock.

"Kirby!" Meta Knight shouted, willing himself to his feet. He held his head, staving off an abrupt dizzy spell that threatened to plunge him into unconsciousness. Through his blurring vision he saw a large dark figure holding a ball of pink in one hand.

"This is the pink one? The one who has defeated the mighty Yamikage? Hah, he is no more than a weakling so foolish that he has poisoned his own ally."


End file.
